‘We ‘re on rescue mission in C’River’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Mr. Odey Ochicha, has lamented the slow pace of development in the state, stressing that the APC is on rescue mission.

Ochicha told reporters in Calabar, the state capital, that ‘’Cross River State has sunk so low in many indices of development that it needs a salvage brigade to bring her back on feet again.”

He said: “Let those who are on the highways and the byways know that a man who is on a rescue mission for Cross River State has arrived; ready to take on the job.

“Cross River State is broke and heavily indebted; our dear state is the third most indebted state in the federation…already the state is experiencing difficulties in paying workers’ monthly salaries .The situation is likely to get worse in the coming days in the light of the continuing slide in crude oil prices.”

The candidate promised that if voted in, his administration will design cardinal programmes for the economic emancipation, which will include agriculture, processing and aggressive marketing of cash crops like cocoa, oil palm and cassava.

He said tourism and manufacturing will be developed to support agriculture, while education, healthcare delivery and infrastructure will also be cardinal to the development index of the state.

Ochicha lamented the privatisation of some state-owned medical facilities. He said the development has made it difficult for the people to have access to basic healthcare.

He urged Cross Riverians to come out en masse and vote for the APC during the March 28 and April 11 polls.